


Deserving

by junglesboys



Category: Professional Wrestling, 新日本プロレス | New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Genre: Ableism, Chronic Illness, Chronic Pain, Disability, Disabled Character, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:08:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28465830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junglesboys/pseuds/junglesboys
Summary: Charlie thinks Jay deserves better than to be stuck looking after her during a chronic pain flare. Jay thinks Charlie deserves someone better to be looking after her.
Relationships: Jay White/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	Deserving

**Author's Note:**

> In the beginning, I wasn't sure if I wanted this to be an imagine or an original character fic, but the more the idea flourished and formed in my head, the more it seemed to be calling for my oc. For those of you who don't already know Charlie, you can see her bio at https://smclltownsoul.carrd.co/#about For the sake of this fic she is an NJPW medic, rather than an AEW medic as listed there.

It wasn't often that Charlie let any form of internalized ableism weigh too heavily on her mind anymore. She'd spent too many years proving that she belonged in the business just as much as her able-bodied medic counterparts did. Hell, she'd become one of the most trusted, and loved medics in any locker room she worked in.

That night, however, new years eve, as she lay in bed shuffling her legs from the intense pain radiating through them, she could feel the doubt creeping into her mind. 

Jay deserved so much better than to be stuck in their flat tending to her. He should be out celebrating with the rest of Bullet Club, but he turned them down because he knew how much pain being out at midnight in early January was going to cause her.

She forced a smile when the sound of his footsteps came into the room as he brought her a mug of chamomile tea to ease her pain. He'd even taken the time to make sure that he'd chosen a lightweight, light-colored mug that wouldn't hold in too much heat, or be too heavy for her too hold onto. "Darlin'," she drawled, her accent thicker than usual in her pain-fogged state.

Jay eased himself slowly onto the bed so as not to jostle her too much, holding tightly onto the mug so it wouldn't spill as he passed it to her. "I remembered what you said about chamomile being a natural muscle relaxer, so I thought it might help," he spoke softly, slipping an arm around the small of her back to help her sit up a bit more. "I thought we'd go for something more natural for now, but if it doesn't ease off soon, we might have to crack open your meds, lovie," Jay spoke with a slight frown. "I know you don't like the way they make you feel, I know it's disorienting, but I'll be right here to help you with anything you need."

Charlie bristled at the mention of her medication. She hated how woozy, and out of control of her own body it made her feel. She had very little bodily autonomy as it was with her condition, she didn't need a medication taking away more of it. She sipped her tea quietly for a moment, before turning to look up at Jay with a frown. "You shouldn't be stuck at home lookin' after me tonight," she sighed. "You deserve better. You deserve someone who can go out to parties, and press conferences, and everythin' without needin' their body to give them some sort of twisted permission to...exist."

Jay carefully pulled the smaller woman closer against his side. "Charlotte...Lottie, love, I don't know how long this has been brewing in the back of your mind, or what brought this on, but there's nowhere else on this earth that I would rather be than by your side. It doesn't matter if that's here, or at a party, or backstage at your office, I only want to be with you, nothing more, nothing less."

He paused to brush her blonde curls back away from her face. "If you ask me, you're the one who deserves someone better than to be stuck here with me."

"Jay…" Charlie spoke up, but Jay raised his hand to stop her protest. 

"You know my reputation in the back, I'm not usually the best at relationships, and emotions, I'm...cold, guarded. You deserve someone as warm, and bright, and caring as you are. I don't know how in the world I was blessed enough to earn this place by your side but...from day one you never cared about any of the bullshit. You didn't care about my reputation, you weren't like the people who ended up in my bed just for the chance to say they had, you cared about me. Even when I was being a flirtatious little prick and pushing your buttons just to see where it would get me, you were never afraid to put me in my fuckin' place when I needed it. I love you, Lottie. I'm not sure that I can ever be the kind of man that you deserve, but I will try harder than I have tried for any match I've ever won to be the best version of myself that I can for you. I promise."

Charlie leaned up to kiss him slowly, gently, not focusing on how weak she felt in that moment. She focused instead on the feel of Jay's body against her own, on his hands in her hair.

Jay gave a soft smile, stroking her cheek as he rested his forehead against hers. "I'll get your meds, and then we'll turn on the Dateline podcast, yeah? Just lay here, and listen to Keith Morrison for a while? You don't need too many spoons to do that, do you?"

Charlie smiled softly. He'd even remembered which Dateline reporter was her favorite. "That sounds perfect darlin'," she said. Her pain wasn't gone, but at least she had someone like Jay to make these bad nights a little bit more bearable


End file.
